Amidst all the build-up to the elections we had a glorious moment in Los Alamos. It took place on Oct. 29th right in the middle of our community with quite a few onlookers and quite a lot of participants. That moment happened when a ribbon was cut and a mass of our residents, ages 4 to 40, poured onto the sculptured curves and smooth surfaces of our new skateboard park. Instantaneously, there was a tsunami wave of joy washing over those on wheels AND those on the sidelines.

I hope that some of the people who were so adamantly opposed to the park were there to witness this event. But for those of you who weren’t, there is plenty of opportunity to feel a bit of the joy on any given day of the week. Please stop the negative comments and just go sit on one of the benches at the edge of the park for a while. You will still see folks – yes, FOLKS – not just teenagers – enjoying the new facility. In addition to skateboards they come on rollerblades, scooters, bicycles, unicycles and even tricycles with parents rolling alongside.

As you observe this pandemonium of fun playing before you, let your imagination take over. Look upon the park in another sense...as a mini-amphitheater. Imagine how it can be used for special events. There are dozens of possibilities. As a librarian, my mind is doing cartwheels thinking of what a wonderful extension this area is to the Mesa Public Library. What a variety of programs can take place outside as well as inside the library!

The skate park is one of the best things that has happened in this community. It is an outlet for boundless energy...positive energy...that is easily supervised. It is in a location that is easily accessible to all, thanks to our wonderful, free transportation system. It keeps the focus of our residents in the heart of our downtown where they will perhaps use our other services and keep our retail area vital.

And for those of us not inclined or able to utilize the park on wheels, we have the privilege of sitting there absorbing the joy by osmosis. If you can’t see the beauty in it just yet – be patient. There will be landscaping!